GeneWatch PR: Response to cloned animal reports

"Report after report has
found that cloning causes animals to suffer. Most cloned animals die as embryos
or are stillborn, causing distress to the mother. Many survivors suffer from
serious health problems, such as breathing difficulties and organ
failures."

"The decision on cloned
farm animals is a key test for the Coalition Government. We've heard fine words
about support for British farmers to meet high welfare and environmental
standards. At minimum this means that people have a right to know where their
meat and milk has come from so they can avoid this harmful and unnecessary
process. Better still, imports of products derived from cloning should be banned
from Britain".

Products from cloned animals and
their offspring could enter the British food chain as meat or milk, or be
imported as sperm for use in artificial insemination. Thursday's meeting of the
Government's Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP) concluded
that meat and milk from cloned cattle and their offspring are "unlikely to present any
food safety risk" but warned that consumers may want to see effective
labelling of products from clones and their
offspring.

"Cloning is an expensive
and unnecessary technology patented by a small number of US companies. If widely
used it would be bad for farming because genetically identical cloned animals
are vulnerable to health problems and diseases", added Dr
Wallace.